Triple valve



F. Y. DIBBLE.

TRIPLE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1915.

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' Inventor,

I! Y. Dibble,

v iorney mm. WASHINGYUN. n c

F. Y. DIBBLE.

TRIPLE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-1,1916.

1,303, 263. I Patented May 13, 1919.

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'mz NORRIS PETERS cawuom-urw Msmunmu, n. c.

F. Y. DIBBLE.

TRIPLE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-1| 1916- 1,303,263. Patented May 13, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I Inventor; i I: Elli/b519,

flizforney" F. Y. DIBBLE.

TRIPLE VALVE.

, APPLICATION FILED FEB. I, 191'6. 1,303,263. Patented May 13; 1919.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I Inventor;

ul: NORRIS PETERS co" rwomu mav wAshma mu m c FRANK Y. DIBBLE, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

TRIPLE VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

. Application filed February 1, 1916. serial No. 75,519.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK YfDIBBLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new. and useful Improvements in Triple Valves of which the followingis a specification. v

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved triple valve for air brakes, the auxiliary reservoirs of Which can be recharged without releasing the brakes and with which the brakes may be released by a very small increase of train line pressure, which will haveimproved means for filtering the air furnished thereto, improved means for operating the emergency brake, and means wherebythe braking pressure can be varied to correspond with the load on the wheels.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved triple valve; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the lines 2-2 of Figs. 1, 3 and 4; Fig. 3 is a vertical 1 section on the lines 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 4;

and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44ofFig.3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a straight conduit adapted to be connected at 2 with a train pipe line for admitting com pressed air to the triple valve, saidconduit leading to a container 3, containing filtering material 4, and screwed on to the end of the conduit 1, so that it can be removed from time to time to clean its contents. The solid particles in the air are by their momentum carried forward into said container and are retained therein.

Air from said conduit flows by a branch conduit 5 in to a piston chamber 6, in which can slide a piston 7, the wall of said piston chamber 6 having, at one side of the piston a channeled passage 8 (Fig. 4) by which the air can escape around the piston into the chamber on itsother side, and thence into a valve chamber 9 extending from said chamber 6. In said chamber 9 is a stem 10 of the piston forming a valve and having a guide 11 in the chamber 9 grooved to allow the passage of air, said valve 10 being adapted to close a passage to a conduit 12.

Air from the far, or auxiliary, side of said piston chamber, passes by a conduit 13 to the surface of a flange 14, to which is connected the auxiliary air pressure chamber 15, and by this means the auxiliary air chamber is charged, and air isdrawn therefrom to setthe brakes.

Train pipe air also passes from the chamber 6 by a conduit 16 (Figs. 2, 4). into a compartment 17 of a diaphragm chamber on one side of a diaphragm 18 connected centrally to a stem 19, guided at one end in a guideway 20 in an end wall 21 of another compartment 22 of the diaphragm chamber on the other side of said diaphragm 18. Said stem 19 has a laterally extendingarm 23 supporting a slide valve24 sliding over ports 25, 26 in the cylindrical wall 27 of said compartment 22. i

Compressed air passes from the chamber 6 on the auxiliary reservoir side of the piston by a conduit 28, (see Fig. 3), which leads to the under side of a check valve 29, raising said check valve, and passing by a conduit 30, (see Figs. 1 and 2), into a compartment 31 of a second diaphragm chamher having therein a diaphragm 32 connected to a stem 33 guided in a guideway 34 and carrying an arm 35, the latter supporting a slide valve 36. From said chamber 31 air can pass by a small port 37 in the side of said chamber, conduit 38, and port 39, into a compartment 40 on the other side of the diaphragm 32. Hence inthe normal. posi tion thepressure is equal on bothsides of the diaphragm 32. H

Auxiliary reservoir air can also pass by a port 41 in the slide valve 36 and a small port 42 in the wall 43 of the corresponding diaphragm chamber through a passageway 44 into the compartment 22 of the other diaphragm chamber, thus normally equalizing the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm l8.

When the engineer reduces the train line pressure to set the brakes, the first effect is to cause the piston 7 to be moved in the direction toward the conduit 5 against the pressure of a light spring 45, this result being caused by the pressure on the side of the piston next to the chamber 9, which communicates with the auxiliary air chamber, being greater than that on the side of the conduit 5.

Thereby the valve 10 is opened, which per mits air from the auxiliary air chamber 15 to flowby the conduit 13, chamber 9, past the guide 11 and the valve 10, through the conduit 12 and along a conduit 46 to the brake cylinder. At the same time the pressure in the compartment 17 is reduced, so that the diaphragm 18is moved toward said compartment, carrying with itthe slide valve 24, thus closing the port 25, which has heretofore been in communication, by theslide valve 2a, with the port 26, which communicates with a conduit 47 leading to the atmosphere. By this means the exhaust from the brake cylinderzis closed, at the same time that compressed air is delivered to the brake cylinder to set the brakes.

The mechanism will now be described which enables-the engineer to recharge his auxiliary, air chamberwithout releasing the brakes By reason of part of the auxiliary air supply escaping into the brake cylinder, the pressure in said auxiliary air supply is reduced, that is to say, the pressure in the co1iduit '28 is reduced. A branch conduit 48 leads'to' the compartment 40 and in said conduit is a spring-pressed check valve 49 opening outwardly from the compartment 40. When the pressure in the conduit 28 is re duced, forthe reason above stated, the check valve 49 opens, due to the pressure in the compartment 40 being greater than that in the conduit 28 andalso in the auxiliary air supply. Air thus escapes from the compare ment 40 and the pressure in said compartment is reduced. Since the pressure in. the compartment 31 is now greater than the pressure in the compartment 10, the dia phragm 32 moves toward said compartment 40against the pressure of a spring 50, until a nut 51, on the stem 33 abuts against'the end of the guideway 20. The diaphragm 32 carries with it thestem 33 and slide valve, 36, and the result of this movement is to close the port 42 and to bring a very small port 52 into communication with the port 37 Air can flow through this port 52 from the com partment 31 into the compartment 40 very slowly, so that some time elapses before the pressure in the compartment 31 falls to that in the compartment 40. When this is the case, the diaphragm 32 is moved toward the compartment 31 by means of the spring 50, thus restablishing communication between the compartments 22 and 31 through the conduit a4: and port 41.

The above construction is necessary to enable the' engineer to recharge the auxiliary air chamber without the necessity of releasing the brakes, for, in order to do this, he must hold the slide valve 24 in such a position that it closes the port 25 while he is recharging, since the port 25 serves asa means of'escaipe of the air from the brake cylinder to the atmosphere. In order to hold the slide valve 24in a position closing the port 2,he must hold the diaphragm 18 in the corresponding position. It will be held in said positipn against its tension even if the pressure on both sides ofthe diaphragm is the same, onaccount of the friction of the slide less compressed valve 2 1. Tomove the valve, considerable excess of pressure must be imparted to the air on the side of the diaphragm opposite the valve. ;The compartment 22 is still at normal auxiliary and train line pressure, and the air in the compartment 17 is slightly under normal train line pressure, since, in recharging the air is admitted by. the engineer through the brake valve in running position. Hence the port remains closed, until the engineer puts his brake valve in the position of full release, whereupon the pressure in the compartment 17 exceeds the pressure in the compartment 22 and the dia phragm 18 moves over and opens the port 25 to let the air escape from the brake cylinder.

The valve 10, which controls the communication between the brake cylinder and the auxiliary reservoir, has been already closed as soon as the pressures on both sides of the piston 7 have become equal.

The principal advantage of my improved construction is that to release the brakes requires less expenditure than heretofore of compressed air. For, after the small vent opening 52 has been in the position in which air flows therethrough from the compartment 31 into the compartment 410 for a length of time sufficient for the pressure in said compartments to be equalized, then the diaphragm 32 is restored to its normal position by the spring 50,,so that the port 42 is again opened, whereupon the pressure in the compartment 22 becomes equal to the pres sure in the compartment 31 and therefore to that in the compartment 17. After a suiiicient time, therefore, dependent upon the size of the small vent opening 52, the pressures will be equalized in the compartments 17 and 22, and, when it is so equalized. it requires a very small excess pressure, only about one pound, to restore the diaphragm to its normal position. Thus the brakes can be released by an expenditure of very much air than has heretofore been the case, generally about ten pounds. This is especially important for con xeying compressed air to the rear cars of a long train. since the pressure diminishes rapidly on account of the friction through the conduits, so that to obtain a pressure of ten pounds at the rear end of the train a much greater pressure is required at the locomotive. It is, therefore, important that the pressure used for releasing the brakes should be as small as possible and this result I have obtained by my invention.

When the engineer wishes to brake quickly, or if the train pipe should breakin two, the pressure in the train pipe is greatly reduced, by 20 pounds, or more, and'the pi'stpn '7 thereupon moves toward the conduit 5, so thatacentral hub 53 thereof strikes against a grooved emergency valve ,54eiandfpresses said valveag'ainst a spring 55,'thereb v letting air from the chamber 6 escape by a concluit 56 (Figs. 1 and 3) and press against a check valve 57, forcing said valve open, and then passing by a cavity 59 and conduit 58 into the conduit 12, and thence to the brake cylinder.

It will thus be seen that the engineer, when the brakes on all the cars are set, is able to recharge the auxiliary air chambers without releasing the brakes. But it often happens that the brake cylinders of some of the cars leak, so that the engineer has to supply additional air to hold all the cars, thereby causing the brakes of the cars on which there is no leakage from the brake cylinders to do the braking for the cars having faulty brake cylinders, making excess braking power on those cars, causing the wheels to slide. In order to insure that, while all of the cars get sufficient air to hold their brakes, yet in none of them is there an excess of pressure of the air which would cause the wheels to slide and become flattened, ll provide a safety valve 60 closing a branch conduit 61 from the conduit 46 and pressed by a spring 62 moving in a valve casing 63, said spring abutting against a thimble 64 which can be adjusted to any position by means of a wedge 65 extending through the valve one of several positions by a key 66. The conduit 61 can be located at any desired point in communication with the air brake cylinder.

I claim 1. A triple valve for air brakes having a compartment normally communicating with the auxiliary air chamber and conduits communicating respectively with the atmos phere, with the brake cylinder and with the auxiliary air chamber, and comprising a valve operated by a reduction of train line pressure below that in the auxiliary air chamber for opening communication between the latter two conduits,

a valve operated by a reduction of train line pressure below that in said compartment for closing communication between the first two conduits, and means operated by a differential air pressure for closing the communication between said compartment and the auxiliary air chamber, said means having a small air-escape opening through Copies of this patent may be obtained'tor casing and locked in any which air can pass slowly to equalize said air pressure and render said means inoperative.

2. A triple valve for air brakes having a compartment normally communicating with y the auxiliary air chamber and conduits communicating respectively with the atmosphere, with the brake cylinder and with the auxiliary air chamber, and comprising a valve operated by a reduction of train line pressure below that in the auxiliary air chamber for opening communication between the latter two conduits, a valve operated by a reduction of train line pressure below that in said compartment for closing communication between the first two conduits, an air chamber, a movable device therein separating it into compartments, one of said compartments communicating with the auxiliary air chamber, the other compartment communicating with the firstnamed compartment, a valve moved with said device to close said communication be tween the two last-named compartments and having a small air escape opening through which air can pass slowly to equalize the air pressure in the two compartments of the air chamber.

3. A triple valve for air brakes having a compartment normally communicating with the auxiliary air chamber, a non-return valve in the communication between said compartment and the auxiliary air) chamber, having also conduits communicating respectively with the atmosphere, with the brake cylinder and with the auxiliary "air chamber, and comprising a valve operated by a reduction of train line pressure below that in the auxiliary air chamber for opening communication between the latter two conduits, a valve operated by a reduction of train line pressure below that in said compartment for closing COIIlIIlllIllCEL-' tion between the first two conduits, and means for slowly reducing the pressure in said compartment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK Y. DIBBLE. Witnesses:

C. W. TARBET,

LOIS G. WAGONER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G." 

